Goodbye, 2009. Hello 2010.

Congratulations to the Yankees who won their first World Series title in nine years wiith some really great baseball when it counted.

As I watched the post game show and heard the ovation for Alex Rodriguez, who finally came through in the playoffs with a .365 batting average in the post season, I couldn't help but wonder if his pre-season steroid revelations and admissions were the best thing that ever happened to his career... Well, besides the $550 million worth of contracts he has signed over the last nine years...

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (left) and closer Mariano Rivera (right) admire their fifth World Series trophy Wednesday night after New York won it's 27th Fall Classic.

Anyway, it seemed like A-Rod always believed his own hype and put an enormous amount of pressure on himself to be The Greatest Player in Baseball History. Between the negative publicity and an early season hip problem, he easily had his worst year in the majors, hitting the least amount of homers he has notched since his sophomore season in 1997 and batting only .285 -- 20 points below his career average.

But all the disappointments seemed to take the spotlight off Rodriguez when the playoffs started. No one in New York ever expected much from him once October began, and to add a lousy season on top of that? Fuggedaboudit. New $180-million man Mark Teixeira was the one whose turn it was to wilt under the spotlight. Meanwhile, A-Rod was free just to play baseball to the best of his abilities and he came through with several clutch hits. He also made a number of pivotal plays at third base on defense...

While they get ready for the parade in the Canyon of Champions in New York, those of us in flyover country get to watch Matt Holliday make a mad dash to file for free agency and the hand wringing about whether the Birds will be able to bring him -- or a suitable replacement -- into the mix for 2010 officially begins.